Old Man
by RedHood97
Summary: Batman's last days with the League. Disclaimer: I own nothing, it is the property of DC Comics.
1. Chapter 1

Old Man

"Batman! Are you alright?" Wonder Woman asked with concern as she saw Batman crouched on the floor next to the unconscious Bane breathing heavily. He rose slowly to his and said, "I'm fine. Forget about it, concentrate on the mission." He then turned and ran towards where Metallo was beating Superman into the ground. He threw an explosive batarang, which hit Metallo straight in his kryptonite heart. Metallo collapsed to the ground unconscious. Batman stopped and panted for a second as he surveyed the League's progress. It was only a small skirmish with some of the more physically able of the League's enemies. But it was getting harder for Batman to keep going. Lights began to dance in front of his eyes and his heart rate sped up. He began to breath heavier, he raised his hand and was shocked to see it trembling. He focused and managed to stop it from shaking. It was happening more and more frequently. He knew it wasn't safe for him to continue but if he couldn't complete the mission then he wasn't fit to live. He stood straighter and managed to control his breathing. He caught Diana looking at him. The League had defeated the villains and was currently rounding them up. None of them had noticed his little episode. Well, none of them except Diana. Concern was clear on her face. She would want to talk about it. He clicked a button on his belt and summoned his plane. As he flew back to the cave, he thought about the progress of the League. It was getting bigger everyday. It had been doing so ever since Luthor had taken down Darkseid. That was nearly 15 years ago. Lights began to dance in front of his eyes again. He knew what was causing it. The mission was causing it. As it had been for the last year. He was getting old. He thought of the progress of the League, and felt bitter. Most of them would still be able to continue a hundred years after he was dead. Even the founding members were still in their prime. Well, Green Lantern was getting older, but he didn't rely as much on his body as he did his mind. Batman needed both. Clark was nearly the same age as him but his Kryptonian DNA kept him looking the same as he did 20 years ago. Diana was immortal and would look like she was in her mid-twenties forever unless she was killed. J'onn was like Superman, his alien DNA kept him looking the same. And Flash? Well, when the League started Flash was barely twenty. Now, he was in his prime and could probably keep going for at least another 20 years. Whereas he, well, he would be lucky if he would be able to keep going another few years. Last week had been the what set it off. The League had finally discovered when his birthday was and came to see him at Wayne Manor to celebrate. To celebrate his _50__th__ birthday. _They had been shocked when they had arrived at the Manor. They hadn't been here in nearly ten years and a lot had changed. Alfred had passed away for one. Dick, Tim and Barbara hadn't spoken to or visited him in five years for another. Nearly all of the rooms were sealed up except for the kitchen and the study. He had taken to sleeping in the cave. The house held too many memories. He had quit using his playboy persona nearly ten years ago. It would have been too undignified for a forty-year old man to maintain. He had settled in to running the company and completing the mission. Nothing else. He hadn't spoken to anyone outside of those two circles for years. And they showed up and found out what he had become. An old, bitter man living in a big, dark house full of ghosts and long lost memories. An old, bitter man with nothing left in his life. They had tried to cheer him up and get him to celebrate but he had threw them out. He only spoke to them now concerning League business. If they attempted to speak to him about anything else he would ignore them and leave. He flew back to his dark cave to rest until later tonight when he would patrol the streets of Gotham and bring fear and justice to lives of criminals. Just another night.


	2. Chapter 2

"We need to talk about Batman." Wonder Woman said to the founders (minus Batman). "Why? What's up with Bats?" Flash asked all of this within a few seconds. Age had not slowed him down. "I don't know. But something happened during the battle today. After he took down Bane he looked ready to drop. He was breathing heavier and he looked like he was shaking. Plus he hasn't really spoken to anyone since his birthday. From what I've heard he hasn't even been into Wayne Enterprises in nearly a week. He's focused entirely on 'the mission'." They all knew what 'the mission' was. It was what drove Batman. And a few weeks ago they found out that it was what drove Batman's family out. They had turned up at the Manor and found Bruce drinking in his study. Drinking heavily. In his drunken stupor they had discovered what had happened to him. 5 years ago Barbara Gordon (a.k.a. Batgirl) had been shot in the spine by the Joker and was paralyzed. The Joker then proceeded to kidnap Tim Drake (a.k.a. Robin) while he was on patrol and torture him for weeks. They found out why the Joker had disappeared. They found out everything. They had all noticed at the time. How Batman seemed angrier, more brutal. It seemed that he cared for no one and strove only to complete the mission. It wasn't long after they both recovered enough that Tim and Barbara had tried to continue to help in any way but Bruce locked them out of the cave and took away their uniforms. Tim moved out and went to live with Dick and Barbara, who were engaged to be married. They tried inviting him to the ceremony but received no reply. A few years after Commissioner James "Jim" Gordon had passed away peacefully. By this point Alfred was already bedridden and incapable of assisting Batman any longer. He passed away the following week. Lucius Fox had also died about a year afterwards, leaving Batman well and truly alone. No friends. No family. No allies. He had lost all ties with the world except for the League. Even then they had noticed that he was taking less and less League missions so that he could remain in Gotham. He was beginning to cut ties with them. "You're right, Diana. Everyday I keep expecting him to resign from the League. I just wish that I knew why." Superman said. They heard chuckling and turned to see Green Lantern laughing softly to himself. "You really don't know what's wrong with him?" He said, "It's simple. He's getting old. He knows it and he doesn't like it. Doesn't want to accept it. Because once he admits it then he knows he'll have to stop or someone will try to make him stop. Think about it. He has lost contact or is losing contact with everyone who would attempt to stop from being Batman because of his age. He doesn't want to be stopped." The other members looked at Green Lantern in wonder. "How can you possibly know that?" Superman asked. Green Lantern ran his hand through his short grey hair and said, "Some of us are actually capable of growing old. No offense, guys, but you really don't understand. Most of you are immortal or near immortal and Flash, you're still in your prime. You have probably got another twenty or thirty years to go before you start to think like this. But Batman and me? We're thinking about it now. Although he is older than me by a few years. But even I don't truly understand because I don't have to rely on my body as much as he does. I just have to focus on my mind. He has to focus and control both. You just can't understand what that's like because it won't happen to you or won't happen to you for hundreds of years," He paused and looked at Flash and added, "Or decades in your case hotshot." They all sat in silent thought and considered Green Lantern's words. He was right.


	3. Chapter 3

Batman entered the cave and walked towards the computer. It had been a difficult patrol. About two years ago a cult had sprung up around the Joker. They dressed like him, spoke like him and acted like him. They were a menace, but thankfully they weren't as much trouble as the real thing had been. That was a blessing. He knew that he didn't have the energy to deal with hundreds of Jokers. But Jokerz? That he could deal with. Lights flashed before his eyes and he dropped to his knees and began breathing heavily. "Bruce?" A concerned voice came out of the darkness. He sighed. Diana. He knew she would turn up sooner or later. "What do you want, Diana?" He growled. He managed to push himself to his feet and walk towards her. "Want? I came to check that you were okay. You looked injured after that battle with Bane." Batman responded with his typical answer to such questions, "I'm fine." She looked at him sadly and said, "No, Bruce, you're not. Green Lantern explained to us why you're cutting ties with everyone. It's okay to get old." Batman glared at her and she unconsciously took a step backwards. "It's okay to get old? It would seem 'okay' to the immortal Amazon goddess. It's always 'okay' to those that don't understand. Nothing is 'okay' about this situation. Now, kindly leave. Do not contact me again, unless there is an emergency. Not League business, or anything else. An emergency. Now, go." He turned his back on her and stalked into the depths of the cave. Diana stood there for a moment. His words had stung her. She activated her communicator and said, "J'onn? Pick me up, please." Blue light coalesced around her.

Batman walked into his training room and activated one of his more difficult training sessions. 3 holograms appeared in the form of Bane. They charged him and he managed to dodge out of the way and send a batarang at the Venom pipes of one of them. It dropped to the floor screaming before fading away. The remaining two began to circle him. "We will break you, Batman." They said it in unison. It sounded exactly like Bane; he had managed to get a recording of his voice. They both charged at him and Batman jumped into the air and they smashed into each other and faded. The session ended. He looked at a clock and realized that the session had taken nearly half an hour. He snarled. Five years ago, it would have taken only twenty minutes. He turned towards a punching bag that was hanging nearby and began to mercilessly hit it. Again and again. Lights flashed in front of his eyes but he just kept punching through the pain. Finally it became too much and he dropped to the ground in pain. He couldn't move. He tried to get up but he couldn't. A figure stepped out of the shadows and stood over him. "Ra's" He managed to whisper. "Detective, you have gotten old. You will soon die. Or you can join me, as I once offered to you. Rule alongside my daughter and I. She has missed you. All it would take would be one bath in the Lazarus Pit and you would be restored to your prime." Bruce shook his head slowly and whispered, "N-o. N-Never." Ra's Al Ghul glared down at Batman before smiling and saying, "Goodbye, Detective, you truly were a worthy adversary. Nobody else has ever come as close to beating me as you have. No one on the League for certain." He paused and looked down at Batman and smiled. "No." Batman struggled to say. "Leave. Them. Alone. It's me… that you want."

"No, Detective. I desired for you to rule with me. The League will have to be taken care of. They stand in my way. Luckily I have a few plans that should disable them. Then no one will stand in my way. Certainly not you. Goodbye, Detective. I do not think we will meet again." He disappeared in the shadows. Bruce began to try to fight through the pain that his body was in. But it was too much. Darkness crept into his vision and he saw no more.


	4. Chapter 4

"Bruce! Bruce! Wake up!" Bruce awoke in the cave to find himself in the cave surrounded by the founding members. Diana was leaning over him, shaking him by the shoulders. He gently pushed her aside and stood slowly. He looked around and noticed that Superman was sat on a chair looking drowsy. "You tried to remove my mask, Kent. That was a mistake." He looked up blearily and said, "What was in that stuff? It knocked me out for nearly twenty minutes." Batman looked at him and said, "It's used for taking down angry male elephants. I crossed it with a kryptonite solution that I created." They all looked at him and Diana said, "Why would you do that?" Batman merely indicated his mask and said, "Nobody removes the mask except me." Batman reached into his belt and removed a strange looking device and fired it at Superman, the founders all shot forward until they realized that it was firing UV rays. "You need to look out for yourselves." Batman said suddenly. Flash laughed, "We do? You're the one who was passed out on the floor." Batman interrupted by saying, "Ra's Al Ghul is gunning for the Justice League." Flash visibly paled, he then said, "Ra's Al Ghul as in the eco-terrorist Ra's Al Ghul. The Master Assassin, Ra's Al Ghul. The 600 years old, Ra's Al Ghul." Batman merely nodded and said, "He visited me in the cave shortly after Wonder Woman left. I had been training and was… tired. How did you find me?" Superman nodded towards J'onn, who said, "I keep a psychic feed upon the senior members of the League in case anything should happen. I cannot read minds but I can sense pain or very strong emotions. In this case I felt both." Batman merely nodded and walked towards his computer and began searching through surveillance footage. "What are you looking?" Wonder Woman asked. "Ra's." Batman answered simply. He began pulling up files relating to Ra's. "Wait! What's that one?" Wonder Woman jumped forward and paused the slideshow of images on one that showed a much younger Bruce Wayne stood next to a slightly younger Ra's Al Ghul. They were both smiling in the picture and looked like a father and son. The founders all stared at the picture, and then at Batman. "Why do you a picture of a younger you and Ra's Al Ghul?" Wonder Woman asked. Batman turned to her and said, "Because I am technically a member of the League of Shadows. Ra's Al Ghul personally trained me, though at the time he told me his name was Henri Ducard. Where do you think I learned to fight so well and inspire fear? Fear is the primary weapon of the Assassin." Flash actually looked terrified, "You're an assassin!? I thought that you didn't kill people!" Batman stood and snarled and said, "I said that I was 'technically' a member of the League of Shadows. Not that I was an Assassin. Pay attention, West. I think it is time that you all left." Superman interrupted him by saying, "Not yet. You still haven't told us what happened to you. We're worried about you." Batman directed a glare at Green Lantern, who seemed only slightly concerned, and said, "I'm fine. I was training in one of my more difficult situations and Ra's turned up. I must have blacked out." Superman listened to Batman's heartbeat as he said this, it didn't speed up like when someone was lying, but then it hardly ever did when Bruce was lying. "Okay, just give us a call if you need any help." With that they beamed up to the Watchtower and Batman collapsed into the chair behind him.


End file.
